


Corruption

by Atlana_Thris



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Friendship, Gen, N'Zoth is a thinly veiled metaphor for depression, Sibling Bonding, Visions of N'Zoth, We dont get to see enough of Jaina and Anduin's friendship in game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23043019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atlana_Thris/pseuds/Atlana_Thris
Summary: Set at the start of Visions of N'Zoth -The Corruption of  N'Zoth has already begun in Stormwind and his power only continues to grow. In a rush to try and learn how to combat this all-consuming darkness, the human leaders come together to share their limited knowledge. The lines between perception and reality are starting to blur for Anduin... and Jaina realizes that perhaps she has missed more than she thought over the last years. Now is her chance to fix that.Jaina may have been accepted by her family once again, but that was never the only family she had.
Relationships: Anduin Wrynn & Varian Wrynn -past, Genn Greymane & Anduin Wrynn, Jaina Proudmoore & Anduin Wrynn, Jaina Proudmoore & Tandred Proudmoore, Jaina Proudmoore & Varian Wrynn - past
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Set at the very beginning of Visions, not directly canon but totally could have happened! Pls let me know what you think, reviews and likes are what keep all of us writers going!!  
> Sorry it has been a while since I posted anything, I refuse to start posting a story until it is complete and I have had writer's block on a long story I have been working on. But I hope you all enjoy this!  
> The next chapter will be coming in a few days! It is already written and mostly edited.  
> Thank you to my sister for editing this!!!

Corruption

Jaina had just arrived, the beautiful Kul’tiran ship swaying hauntingly in the port. Each step she took down the shipping dock left a frosty footprint in her wake. She drew closer and closer, her face uncharacteristically blank.

  
“Anduin,” She drew out his name mockingly, “what have you done here? Stormwind is so weak and vulnerable, no soldiers even patrolling my arrival. If I wanted to kill you, I could do it here and now.” She stopped her stroll before looking down at him, still a few inches taller. Her face warped strangely, and the water around them shifted to a murky black.

  
She leaned down to whisper something in his ear, and a chill ran down his spine. Unsure if it was from Jaina’s naturally cold presence or something worse, Anduin did his best not to recoil.

  
“It is such a pity the noble Wrynn line fell to you, Anduin.” A sharp pain twisted in his gut- as he looked down to see the hilt of a blade embedded in his stomach.

  
“Anduin…”

  
He couldn’t hear over the ringing in his ears.

  
“Anduin!”

  
Shooting up, Anduin found himself being shaken awake by none other than Genn Graymane, a concerned look on his human face.

  
Attempting to compose himself quickly, Anduin straightened up. “When did you arrive back, Genn?” He asked, organizing his thoughts slightly in his head. Genn and Jaina were both supposed to be arriving today, a summit of the human leaders to discuss what they knew about N’zoth.

  
“I was portalled over just an hour ago.” Genn shook his white-haired head as he pulled himself to a standing position. “Fortunately, Mia was back from Darkshore, so I had someone to welcome me.” He added in a slightly chastising tone.

  
Of course, it was customary for the king to greet someone of Genn’s station in person upon his arrival to the city. Genn always had been a little old-fashioned and strict when it came to tradition. And while in many situations, Anduin valued his traditional take on customs, he found he could not summon the energy to feel guilty for sleeping through Genn’s arrival today.

  
Still, he mustered up an apology, “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep, or else I would have been there.”

  
“Right, well, be sure not to make the same mistake this afternoon- Lady Proudmoore wouldn’t take as kindly to being treated poorly.” Genn had taken to pulling out and glancing through the scrolls Anduin had laboriously organized across his desk, where he must have fallen asleep.

  
Anduin made a face at that, trying to ignore the prickling on his neck in response, “Jaina? I believe nearly every other time she has arrived on her own accord-”  
“Lady Katherine Proudmoore, Anduin! By the moon and stars, are you still half asleep?” The moment the heated words came out of his mouth, Genn turned to inspect him, his expression a mix of exasperation and concern. “When did you get up this morning that you are still so lethargic?”

  
Running a pale hand through his loose bangs, Anduin did his best not to feel rebuked by the fact that the former king of Gilneas was in his quarters, treating him as if he were a child.

  
“Not long ago, Genn,” Anduin made to stand and find his over-jacket, doing his best to keep his annoyance out of his voice.

  
There was a slight scoff from the Worgen, “Right, certainly, I believe that. Unfortunately for you, I am getting better at this game. You are referring to me waking you up just now as when you got up this morning? So perhaps the more operative question is, did you even go to sleep last night?” Genn’s mouth twitched in irritation, his eyes tracking Anduin as he stumbled around the chambers, pulling on his boots.

  
Or maybe it was concern, Light if he could tell these days.

  
Knowing he shouldn’t be angry for Genn calling him out did little to stop the rise of bubbling frustration building inside of him. Not only had he not slept last night, but he had remained up for the past three days, only occasionally falling into a fitful sleep when his body refused to cooperate with his mind. It never lasted long though, the night terrors that had been plaguing him since long before Wrathion’s arrival were quick to rouse him.

  
“Do not try and scold me, Genn, it is not effective, nor is it your place to do so.” Anduin shrugged on his jacket and sash.

  
Graymane pressed his lips together; his worn face pulled taught in frustration, “Not my place? Right, of course. Perhaps it is at least my place to say, Your Majesty, you should find something to hide the bruises under your eyes and the hollows of your cheeks?” His irritation was dripping off his words as he crossed his arms.

  
Arguing isn’t helping anyone, Anduin thought to himself before taking a deep breath. “Genn, please, not now,” Anduin rubbed his temple as something purple appeared in the corner of his vision, “you are right. I would do well to behave with exuberant respect for her Lady Proudmoore. I’m sorry, I failed to have the foresight to think she was coming as well.”

  
Dropping his tense stance, Genn let his expression relax, though it still verged on concern.

  
“Tandred will be there too, Jaina’s little brother. And first impressions are everything, and well, I guess you sort of met right after the siege, but those introductions were rushed. Make a point of getting them to see the more respectable side of Stormwind nobility, alright? You have a few hours to wash up before they arrive.”

  
Do not berate him for that, and he just wants things to go well, Anduin chanted to himself. That does not mean he detests you.

  
He tried to force a nod as he focused on the Light, praying that would peel back the haunting filter over his gaze.

  
As Genn’s footsteps left the room, there was a pause, “And eat something too Anduin, you look even skinner without the armor.”

  
Light, he was tired.

  
Once the Gilnean king had left, Anduin all but collapsed onto the bed. If they failed to figure out this N’zoth corruption soon… He hated to think about what it would be like when the others started to succumb to his visions.

  
With one last deep breath, the priest lifted himself on sheer discipline and did what little he could to try and match the expectations of Stormwind’s king.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

The docks always looked oversaturated this time of year. Crisp winter winds had yet to leave Stormwind, and yet the rain had lifted, leaving cold air and clear skies. Anduin always thought it was a strange juxtaposition, the pleasant appearances deceiving the eyes. Doing his best to suppress a shiver, Anduin straightened his stance ever so slightly as the regal Kul’tiran ship was brought into the harbor.

  
Beside him stood both King Genn Graymane and his wife Queen Mia, along with Spy Master Shaw and several other personal guards. The ship currently docking complemented the vessel Jaina had gifted him beautifully; Tiffin’s Melody was gracing Stormwind’s harbor for the first time in probably eighteen years. That is what he had to focus on, Jaina does not detest him or else she would never have done something so generous and thoughtful. All he had to do was ignore whatever he saw and focus on that, N’zoth couldn’t change the past.

  
He pressed away the nagging voice telling him that it was only an attempt to appease him and accept her true home back into the Alliance. He forced on a smile as he saw the first of the Proudmoore’s begin descending from the ship.

  
Jaina was quick to return the gesture before spinning to aid her mother in disembarking the vessel. Her brother was in toe, and Anduin fought to suppress the nerves he was feeling and leaned into a deep bow.

  
“Lord Admiral, Lady, and Captain Proudmoore, it is my greatest honor to welcome you to Stormwind citadel cordially.” Anduin recited, but not without extra and proud punctuation on Jaina’s new title.

  
“It is our honor to be here as well young King Anduin Wrynn. It has been many years since I walked the streets of Stormwind.” Lady Proudmoore answered, her focus seems to be on the temple’s spire, just visible over the wall. “If I remember correctly, the streets were not even fully finished. The rebuilding after the second war was still underway.”

  
Anduin did his best to hide the surprised look on his face. His father never mentioned any of the Proudmoore’s coming to Stormwind long ago. “Well, even though this call was for the sake of urgent and pressing concerns, perhaps we can arrange a tour of the citadel after the more time-sensitive matters are sorted.” He pressed, hoping to prompt a movement towards the keep.

  
Tandred reached out a hand to him, ignoring or missing his urging, “King Anduin, it’s a pleasure to meet ya in earnest. Jaina has spoken a bit about you already, and it’ll be nice to get to know somma her friends from the mainland.” He all but crushed Anduin’s hand, towering at least four inches above him. It made sense, glancing around at their family. It was certainly an inherited trait.

  
“Of course, I have always considered Jaina a close ally and an even closer friend, so it is a gift to meet the rest of her family finally.” Anduin held himself up a little straighter in hopes of appearing dignified. “Customarily, I would have arranged for a much more grandiose arrival for such esteemed guests such as yourself.” He paused with a little hesitation, knowing it was unsavory to hint at your kingdom’s military stability, “However, the current situation would not lend me that privilege.” He sent a cursory glance over at Katherine Proudmoore, “I do hope I was not wrong in assuming this would suffice during our hunt for N’zoth.”

  
Tandred let out a barking laugh, “Aye, Jaina said you were all proper and polite. Tradition never worked that well for us in th’ past, so I’m sure we can survive without this proper Stormwind royalty treatment. ‘Specially if we’re already friends through my big sister here.”

  
A desperate seed of hope inside of him wilted a little at Tendred’s words. Proper and polite weren’t exactly the words he hoped Jaina would use to describe him. They weren’t false by any means, but it was discouraging that was what she told her real family with regards to him. It wouldn’t suit anyone to mourn that now, though.

  
Only mildly intimidated, Anduin tried his best not to flinch away from the heavy hand landing on his shoulder. He decided he was definitely laying it on too thick, his only experience with other human kingdoms being Gilneans… which didn’t seem to be helping much.

  
“Your Majesty,” Jaina cut in a little curtly, and Anduin felt his throat knot, “Why don’t you lead us all back to the keep and maybe I can take my mother and brother to the quarters we will be staying in, I know the keep quite well and can only assume we will be staying in the western wing. Then I’ll come and join you and Graymane for some initial deliberations and sharing of information.”

  
Anduin offered a small nod and a pressed smile. He found it within him to gesture his hand to the side and begin to lead them all back to the keep. Jaina calling him ‘your majesty’ had never happened before. It felt impersonal, distant, and cold. Had their relationship soured that much without him knowing? Or perhaps her tolerance for him expired when she regained her actual younger brother.

  
Behind him, Genn and Katherine were making small talk about the travel here, debating the advantages of portalling over sailing. The Proudmoore children walked behind him as Tandred pointed out things in the city. Since they were traveling the back entrance to the keep, Jaina explained the embassy and the surprising amount of refugees out here and on the inner-city farms. Leading their way, Anduin remained silent, hesitant to cut in.

“That is an ‘mazing amount of smoke coming from the inner city, what is making all that ruckus?”

  
Anduin responded before Jaina could, trying to sound a little more personable this time, “This is the Dwarven distract, older battlements, we have some of the finest Alliance ingenuity coming from the civilians living in that section of the city. The famous Ironforge to Stormwind tram runs under the city just over there.”

  
“Tides mercy, this really ain’t much of a human city, is it? I think I have seen more elves and dwarves than I have humans. Kul’tiras might be the last human kingdom.”

  
Having no idea how to respond to that, Anduin kept his mouth shut and folded his hands behind his back. Perhaps this wasn’t the human kingdom that his grandfather used to lead, but it was the kingdom his father built up from the ground. If they wanted to scorn that, so be it.

  
The rest of the short walk back to the keep, he remained silent, disappointed in finding that the Proudmoores seemed to desire nothing more than be allies. As they rose the stairs to the keep, Anduin couldn’t help glancing over at his father’s statue, longing for him again.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

  
Suppressing the urge to stomp down the echoing stone halls of Stormwind’s castle, Jaina guided the way to the western wing, where the Wrynns always had rooms prepared for guests, such as herself. Swiftly unlatching the door, she shoved it open and held it with her arm, waiting for her brother and mother to follow her in.  
Tandred immediately dropped into one of the lounge chairs, “I’m surprised their castle isn’t larger – oh and I d’finately expected h’m to he taller! Jaina, you should have mentioned you were taller than the King of the Alliance-”

  
“Tandred!” Jaina shouted, letting the door slam behind her, “What the Fel was all that?”

  
Her brother looked shocked and sat up a little straighter, “Sorry, what was what?”

  
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Jaina shot a glare over at him, “I told you to be nice, make good first impressions and…”

  
“I was b’ing friendly, yeah, I’ve got no idea what ya are yelling about sis.”

  
Grabbing onto the back of a seat, she glared across at him, “‘King Anduin?’ How is that proper to start with? At the very least you should have said King Wrynn or-”

  
“You call him Anduin, I fig-”

  
“He is my friend Tandred! I have known him for over a decade!”

  
Tandred held up his hands, “Ya know I didn’t mean any offense, you and Derek were always the better talkers in the group.”

  
Jaina rounded on him, “No, I don’t care if you have spent the last however many years sailing lost at sea, both of us were taught basic edict. Towering over and degrading-”

  
Rising to his feet, finally returning the heated response, “Now hold on, degrading? D’finately didn’t do that. And I’m fucking sorry I have half a foot on the kid who is supposed to be tough enough to lead the alliance armies? You haven’t even been in Stormwind the last few years, he isn’t some touchy child, right? Come on, Jaina! Don’t baby the kid.”

  
“You claimed Stormwind wasn’t a human kingdom! Why the Fel would you do that? Why the bloody Fel would you even insinuate fault or criticize Anduin for Stormwind taking in so many refugees that they outnumber the natives? You know what, Tandred? For a long damn time, I was practically one of those refugees. If I wasn’t running off to Dalaran, Stormwind’s gates were always open for me.” Jaina felt her fingers freezing slightly in her anger.

  
Throwing up his hands, Tandred sighed, exasperated, “Tide mages guide me, I was just saying it was a city of the Alliance, not of just humans. It was a compliment! Or at least just a comment. Why are you so angry with me?”

  
Fuming Jaina tried to find more words to throw back in her brother’s face.

  
For the side of the room, their mother cleared her throat.

  
“If the two of you are done screaming at each other, perhaps you could catch on to what is really going on.”

  
Rubbing her face, Jaina huffed. “And what would that be, mother?” she asked, miffed.

  
“Jaina wants us to like her friend and her friend to like us. I mean, she created the finest Kul'Tiran craft just to butter him up first. I would almost fear that she thinks us unpleasant.”

  
Suddenly feeling flushed, Jaina shut her eyes, “Maybe you are right… not that I find you unlikable, just that I wanted this to go perfectly. Stormwind is my home away from home, and Anduin is practically family; he is like a nephew or little brother. But Tandred, just because he is the leader of the Alliance, does not mean Anduin isn’t shy and sensitive. He is eighteen... no wait, he might be nineteen now. Still, my point stands. You have only seen the decisions of a decisive and diplomatic leader. He is diplomatic and will put up with however you act, but I want you and mom to be friends with him too.” Jaina said imploringly, the sharpness of her voice had faded.

  
Tandred flopped back into his seat, “Shit Jaina, I could tell this was important to ya, but I didn’t know… look, I will make a point of being a little less abrasive, okay? Or at least I’ll try.”

  
Growing up having Tandred teasing her constantly as a form of love, Jaina knew that to back off was a big deal for him.

  
“Yeah, maybe, but still be yourself. Mother is right - I should not worry so much about everything being perfect.”

  
“Guess I don’t know much about your friend or have much common ground. It makes it hard.”

  
Jaina’s mother interjected again, “That is a fair point. I can’t say I know much about the King himself. Years ago, I met King Varian, but Tandred is right. If we want to build stronger ties here, it would be helpful to get a feel of what Stormwind is now. Go to your meeting, and then take us around the city. I find that the best way to learn about any noble is to take a glance around their estate. It is the same with royalty. By dinner time tonight, I am convinced we will have found common ground and interests.”

  
After finishing getting her family situated, Jaina arrived in the meeting room, finding both Anduin and Genn already present. Once they were all seated, the battle map laid out in front of them like a forewarned promise, Anduin began recounting the new information he had been informed of since they had last discussed any news.

  
“Physical strength isn’t going to be effective, according to the… expert I spoke with two days ago. The method of N’zoth’s attacks will be psychological, draining the mental fortitude of all those who oppose him, both upon and away from the battlefield.” As Anduin explained, Jaina noticed the slight slump in his posture that he never used to have.

  
“And who was this expert? If someone has already faced N’zoth and lived, I think we all would have heard about it. To call themselves an expert, well, I don’t believe there is any moral alive today who I would believe to be an expert in the Old Gods.” Genn cut in, frowning over at Anduin, who proceeded to massage his temple.  
Jaina was about to add on when Anduin let out a long sigh and slumped back in his chair. It was so Varian and not like Anduin, Jaina bit her tongue, wanting to hear what he was going to say.

  
“Wrathion.”

  
“What the fuck?”

  
“By the Fel! You are trusting him after everything?”

  
Anduin glared over at her, a mix of frustration and pleading in his eye, “No, I’m not.”

Genn all but growled, throwing his hands down on the table, “Oh really? You are extra cautious while welcoming your old friend lovingly back in your arm-”

  
“Genn…” Jaina added warningly.

  
Straightening and neutralizing his expression, Anduin stared over at Genn for a long moment.

  
“When he walked into my keep two days ago, I yelled at him and punched him in the face.” There was a tremor to Anduin’s voice that threw Jaina off.  
Over the decade in which Jaina had known Anduin, she knew him to act one of two ways, either decisively diplomatic or emotionally and protective. Violence was neither of those. The curtness to his tone made him sound angry and hurt. Her brother’s words stirred something up in her chest; maybe it had been a while since she was around. Perhaps things have changed.

  
“What? You did what?” Genn’s sharp tone cut through the awkward silence.

  
“He walked in the keep, I punched him and cursed him out for getting my father killed.” Jaina winced at that.

  
“By the… Since when do you punch people? I was always skeptical of that dragonling, but – give me a moment to refocus, this is not what I expected.” Genn shook his head and made eye contact with Jaina. Bewilderment in his eyes.

  
“Well, let us be honest Graymane,” Jaina interjected, “he deserved it. Last we saw of him he had broken Garrosh Hellscream out of jail and nearly got me and plenty others almost killed.”

  
The gilnean king waved her off, “Of course he did, that isn’t the question. I am more trying to process this Varian style of negotiation Anduin seems to be trying.”

  
A long sigh comes from Anduin, grabbing their attention. “That is just the point though: it is not a matter of if Wrathion deserved it. Instead, you are missing the loftier significance of my recount. I have never punched someone before, and this is not the first time I have held council with a traitor or someone I detest. Prior to the last few weeks, I don’t tend to even yell at any of my advisors. And it is in this light that Wrathion’s words shine the most clearly. N’zoth’s corruption attacks us individually, infiltrating emotions, altering perceptions, and heightening reactions.”

  
Anduin paused, turning his gaze down to his hands, “I do not disagree that precautions should be taken and all information gathered from him should be verified. But, he has good reason to be well versed in the corruption of the old gods, and so far his statements ring true.”

  
“Then I suppose that is good enough for me – but I want the keenest people on him, some of our best champions. Only those strong enough of mind that they won’t fall to any of his potential mind games,” Genn responded sternly, seeming placated by Anduin’s explanation.

  
Jaina, on the other hand, kept her eyes on Anduin, noticing his sullen expression and hollow cheekbones. Did he lose more weight since the last time they had seen each other? He was always small and slight, but the almost lifeless eyes were such a stark contrast to the hopeful and enthusiastic expression he used to have.  
She recalled the kinship between Anduin and the dragon, how pleased he was to have a friend basically his age and witty enough to keep up with him.

  
“Are you alright?” she asked, not sure she needed to hear the answer.

  
With a half-hearted shrug and a superficial smile, Anduin handed over several reports to Genn and copies to her. “Copies of notes from Magni and Wrathion on what to expect. My mages and priests have also started to look into mind warding spells. They aren’t convinced anything will work long against an Old God but doesn’t hurt to try. Would you mind glancing over that Jaina? You are more experienced than most of them. Perhaps you can notice any flaws in their spell logic.”  
Compartmentalizing the concern, for now, Jaina nodded and took the spell sheets.

  
The meeting carried on in a haze of lackluster ideas and mounting frustration at the still lack of direction they seemed to have. No one seemed to have a solid idea of how their forces could be useful.

  
It was mid-afternoon when the three of them had unofficially finished reviewing all their information. The last of the SI7 intelligence was filed away, and Genn was rambling about how his daughter had refused to come back with him and Mia.

  
“Still in Darkshore?” Jaina asked, realizing it had been quite some time since she had seen the princess of Gilneas.

  
“Yes, has been since Winter’s Veil – the three of us traveled there for the holidays to help the locals traverse the forest and deactivate some of the goblin mines scattered about. Plenty of my people came and helped the kaldorei, and by the day of Winter’s Veil, we had one of the southern inns rebuilt. I think the magic of that moment has caught Tessa’s heart. Practically made rebuilding her duty now. Wonderful work to be sure, but she is missing the opportunity to train with Shaw.” Genn shook his head and shrugged at Jaina, “Did you have a nice holiday in Kul’tiras?”

  
Jaina felt a smile form on her face at just the mere mention of it. “I did, for the first time in years, I got to spend the season with Tandred and my mother. We have all been dreadfully busy, but Tandred cleared the afternoon so that we could have dinner together. My mother dismissed the staff and had us all trying to cook, which was a horrifying mess. But, collectively, through my mother’s skills in cooking and mine in conjuration, we put something together. I forgot how lovely the holidays were with family. It reminded me of being a child again.” She paused, “Well, I noticed Derek’s and my father’s absence for the first time in a while, but it was still worth it to be around the rest of them.”

  
Genn gave her a sidelong smile, “Every year, Tessa lights a candle for Liam. Then she always makes a point of belting out Gilneas’ worst winter veil songs. They always did it together when they were little.” It was rare to see the softer side of the older king, the frown lines on his face a little less visible than usual.

  
She knew so little about Liam. Genn’s minced words were more than she had probably heard before. He would have only been a few years younger than herself… It was strange to work so closely with someone and yet not even know the basics.

  
It only took her a moment to realize she did the same thing – she never spoke about Derek or Tandred, to the point where some people weren’t even sure if he existed for a while. It might be easier to suppress it all but… it wasn’t fair to their memory. She made herself a little promise to try and do better about that in the future.

  
“Jaina, if you want to have time to tour your family around Stormwind, it would be best if you hurried out now. You have less than three hours of daylight left,” Anduin told her, a little too cheerily, already standing and loading his notes up into his arms.

  
The young king hurried from the room before she had a chance to respond. A gnawing sense of concern bubbled up from somewhere in her gut. Jaina couldn’t tell if Anduin was just tired and stressed or if it was something more.

  
“Is he alright?” Jaina conjectured to Genn, who shook his head without a clear indication.

  
The worgen shouldered his satchel. “I think he has been leading an army for a long time.”

  
“Maybe you are right. This war has dragged on for two years alre-”

  
“Try four years, Jaina.” A slight bite to his words caught Jaina off guard after their genuine conversation moments before. “You might not have been here, but we were fighting the Legion for two years before the fourth war started. Unlike some, Stormwind hasn’t had a respite yet. Now, I need to share this with Mia, enjoy touring the city.” Clenching his jaw, the older man turned from her and stalked out of the room.

  
Left in stunned silence, Jaina only lingered for a moment. Not one to loiter in self-pity, she got to her feet and went to find her mother and brother.


	2. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaina tours her family around Stormwind and she releases everything she has missed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter - hope you guys enjoy! I think I forgot to update the publication date on the last chapter so it wasn't ever near the top lol! First time posting a multichapter fic. Hope this is a good ending, let me know what you all think!!

“Well, you should see the Cathedral during one of their services or a holiday. Not just packed with refugees, but civilians and candles and – oh the singing is beautiful. The priests and priestesses have the most stunning and ethereal voices.” Jaina continued, speaking up over the gargling fountain in the Cathedral’s main square.

“This almost looks bigger than the castle. I mean, I heard that Stormwind was the city of the Light, but I gue’s I’d never imaged it.” Tandred’s eyes continued to scan over the stained glass lining the walls of the cathedral. “How old is’t?”

Jaina scrunched up her face, trying to recall when her mother cut in.

“It was built nearly twenty-one years ago.”

Giving her mother a confused look, Jaina asked, “Really? And pray tell why you know that?” It had to be after the second war when Stormwind was rebuilt, which barely twenty-two years ago.

Katherine gave a small smile, “I remember it being here last time I toured the city. In earnest, I believe it was one of the few parts of the city that was completed.”

Still a little shocked, Jaina pressed on, “I thought you were just acting polite, you have seen the city before? I didn’t think you and father had ever traveled here, I mean, there was so little time between the second war when the Alliance of Lordaeron was formed and … when Kul’tiras decided to leave.” She did her best not to linger on her guilt over that, “ When did you come here?”

“I believe it was four months after the Wedding of King Varian and Queen Tiffin Wrynn. Your father wanted to reap the most benefits from this new Alliance, and Stormwind was rebuilding fast enough to encourage his faith in them becoming a reliable trade partner.” A melancholy look came across her face as she reminisced, “That was one of the main reasons I was able to convince him to agree to the alliance in the first place.”

Tandred let out a laugh, “Always assumed that was more on you than him.”

“Wait, wait,” Jaina threw her hands out, “So you came to the city during the construction of Stormwind? Did you meet Queen Tiffin then?”

Katherine nodded, “Of course, she was the one who showed me the city. Specifically wanted to show me the Cathedral – I remember it was her pride and joy, this temple, open to the public, declaring Stormwind a beacon of hope. It stuck with me, her vision.”

Jaina was enthralled, and led them a little farther from the main square. “What was she like? Tiffin that is.”

Her mother tilted her head, “Oh, I figured you would know. I thought you and the late king were friendly.”

“We were. More than that-”

“More than that!? Wait, ya and the past king-”

“Ew, no Tandred! Definitely not, no. I was trying to say,” Jaina clarified with a glare, “ is that Varian and I were more than just friendly with each other, he was probably my closest friend. I could always rely on him to have my back…” She trailed off for a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat. “But he never really could talk about Tiffin. He wasn’t always the best at talking about sensitive things.”

As they made their way through the tunnel between the city’s districts, Katherine looked up thoughtfully, “Oh, what do I remember about her… they were both so young. You know, I remember her not being at all what I expected. I had met Varian in Lordaeron, and he was about what you would expect from a sixteen-year-old prince. So, when we were told the new King of Stormwind was marrying a lesser noble, I figured she would be one of those gorgeous fancy women, the typical docile queen.” She shook her head, and Jaina tried not to get annoyed at her mother’s judging tone.

“But when we came through the port- I was shocked by how slight she was, now not that she wasn’t beautiful, just not the traditional curvy and flamboyant look at the time. I can certainly tell who the current king takes after. She was very down to Azeroth, in touch with what people were saying, and seemed to care genuinely. And she was witty- that struck me- not only did she lead negotiations with our financial advisor, but when showing me around, she had the cleverest little jokes. I really liked her. Probably because she reminded me a little of myself when I was younger, and a little of you at the time.”

Jaina wistfully grinned, “Light, I wish I had met her. I think we would have gotten on quite well.”

With a pause, she added, “Anduin takes after her. Anyone can tell you how smart and observant he is, despite how young he is. Mum, you should…bring up that you knew her next time you see him. I believe he would love to hear about what you knew of her.”

“I guess he never got to know her either?” Her mother asked.

“No, I think he was less than one when she passed.”

The three of them lapsed into silence for a few moments.

“So, where are ya’ taking us next Jaina? This the mage district?” Tandred piped in.

“Oh, well, yeah, we are about to pass the park, but it is just sort of a pile of rubble. Deathwing sort of stepped on it. It is a shame. It was such a beautiful part of the city and…oh.”

Her rambling was cut off by the site she saw across from the street. Long waterfalls lined the edges of a bridge to a section of the city she had ever seen before. Whitestone walkways lead to a circular platform. Marble slabs were placed all around the circle in some sort of memorial.

“What is that?”

Jaina shook her head, “I…I don’t know.” She led the way over the bridges and saw rows and rows of names carved onto the marble. When she turned and glanced over her shoulder, her stomach dropped.

The late afternoon sunset rays of light onto the marble tomb, fresh white roses that grew all around Stormwind were laid across the long blue carpet leading up to it.

She felt cold, and that had nothing to do with the winter breeze from the sea. Completely caught off guard by the haunting beauty of the memorial and her suppressed grief at the loss of her old friend.

“The Son of Stormwind lies here, broken in two by his weakness, he lived by the sword…” Katherine trails off and steps back from the central plaque, “I see, High King Varian Wrynn?”

Jaina swallowed the lump in her throat, “Yes, yes, I believe this is a tribute to the battle of the Broken Shore, where Varian… fell.”

One of the guards came over and began telling them about the memorial, but Jaina hardly heard any of it.

_ It was about five years ago, and she had just arrived from Dalaran. The constant overcast of Stormwind was a welcome relief after the blizzard they had up north. Not that she was staying. No, she just had to verify that the instability in the layline through the mage district was as trivial as Varian suggested. _

_ Everything was so festive, and it put her in the foulest of moods. She wished Stormwind wasn’t so big on holidays, with all the lights and the singing. It made it hard to focus on getting things done in a timely fashion.  _

_ The mages didn’t know what she was talking about when she asked about the laylines, or they had forgotten in their idle chatter about holiday plans. Everything was perfectly fine, and there had been no reason for her even to waste her time coming down here. _

_ By the time she went to report her analysis of the situation to Varian, she had had enough. If she got one more season’s greetings or saw another young couple making out under the mistletoe, she might earnestly freeze someone. Two of the keep’s guards could even be seen mucking about, chucking slushy snowballs at each other. It was unprofessional. _

_ With a scowl plastered across her face, she stalked over to them to tell them off. Before she could start yelling, a gleeful laugh cut her off.  _

_ “Jaina!” Before she knew what hit her, she found herself enveloped in a tight hug. Startled, it took her a few moments to recognize the blonde hair under the royal blue cloak. _

_ Without giving her a chance to respond or even react, the young prince pulled back and grinned at her widely, “You didn’t tell us you were coming to Stormwind on Winter Veil’s Eve! Or did my father just forget to tell me?” Anduin added with knowing mirth. _

_ “Oh, I was- no, I wasn’t- I mean, I was just coming to check on the- the layline thing,” Jaina answered, flustered. She kept trying to compose herself after being caught off guard. _

_ Anduin cocked his head to the side with a frown, “Were you on your way to speak to my father?” _

_ Having regained her composure and suppressed some of her frustration Jaina nodded.  _

_ “Yes, where is he?” _

_ “I’m sorry,” Anduin bit his lip as he pulled his hood off, “he has been in a meeting all morning. It will be hours until you can meet with him.” _

_ Jaina felt her frustration bubble back up, which she regretted the moment she saw Anduin’s face fall at her expression. _

_ “Light,” the fifteen-year old’s face contorted in distress, “we shouldn’t hold you up the day before Winter’s Veil, I’m so sorry. If the King weren’t in the middle of trying to sort out the reports from the Tanang Jungle, I would go and interrupt him…” _

_ Letting out a deep sigh, Jaina cut off Anduin’s rambling, “No, it's fine.” She pressed the words out through her tightly pressed lips. “I can just...” she glanced around and gestured to the bench, “wait here until he has a moment in his busy schedule to deal with me.” Her words came out more bitterly than she meant. _

_ Anduin’s eyes trailed her hand and then back to her face, a glimmer in them she couldn’t understand. It was gone in a second. He wrapped his arms under his cloak and shook his head. “Then I will wait with you. Father had to cancel our annual horse ride for this meeting, so I have nowhere else to be either.” A forlorn look overcame his face as he offered her his signature gentle smile.  _

_ A pang of guilt wound through her, regretting her snippiness before. It wasn’t fair that the kid should be all alone on Winter’s Veil Eve. Anduin always got the short end of the stick. _

_ “Do you have any extra horses in the stables?” _

_ “Oh, well, father just started training a new warhorse for me, so we got a few ones which came with them,” Anduin commented. _

_ “Then,” a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth for the first time in a while, “let us go. I love the ride outside Stormwind. It would be a good way to pass the time, right?” She added, trying to make it seem like she wasn’t doing it for him, but for herself. _

_ Grinning that infectious smile, Anduin’s eyes lit up and then started to lead her towards the stables. _

_ The afternoon passed with a surprising amount of laughs and stories. By the time they arrived back in the city, it was past dinner time, and Varian demanded he at least fed her since he made her wait so long. By the time they finished chatting, the non-emergency teleportations had closed, and she hulled up in one of the keep’s room. Come early morning, Anduin woke her up and dragged her down to join the royals in what was a surprisingly small gathering celebrating Winter’s Veil. _

_ She forgot about getting back to Dalaran, spending the day beating Varian at chess and lighting candles in the Cathedral for all the lost loved ones. Tears started to fill her eyes as she altered the candle to glow pink for Kinndy. A tug on her arm drew her to the front. Anduin motioned for her to place the candle next to his. _

_ Stormwind’s traditions seemed so foreign compared to how she spent her holidays in Theamore. However, she realized as she teleported back that night, not being alone kept her from hating the holiday that year. _

A sense of guilt knotted up in her stomach as she realized she never returned the favor. As she stared over at the beautiful replica of Varian, all she could see in her mind's eye was a haunting image of a lone figure standing beside it, placing two candles down instead of one.

Taking one final deep breath, Jaina poised herself, plastering on a smile and turned to her family.

“It is lovely, but let me finish showing you the city before sunset. There is still something I wish to do tonight.”

_________________________________________________________________________

One quick stop to the kitchen’s later, Jaina knocked quietly on the door to Anduin’s chambers. After a few moments, she tried again, before relenting and trying the door. Finding it open, she let herself in, her concern mounting.

A mess of blonde hair was sprawled out over the desk, a quill still held slackly in one hand. Only part of the young king’s face was visible, plastered against several sheets scattered in front of him.

It was never lost on Jaina how young he looked but this…Light, he looked twelve again. Lingering for a moment before steeling herself, she gently put down the tray on a side table and approached him.

Since when did he look that tired? And when did he start growing that peach fuzz on his face? Another knot twisted in her gut.

Reaching out, Jaina shook Anduin’s shoulder carefully.

Shooting up with a start, Anduin groped for his sword, before realizing she had shaken him awake.

“Jaina!” Anduin exclaimed, flustered. “What are you doing here?” The teenager ran a hand through his hair as he straightened, evidently still trying to piece together what was going on.

The mage had to do her best to suppress a grin, reminded of her late nights studying in the Kirin Tor. Except, that was generally in the Light Forsaken hours in the middle of the night, not sunset.

“Light, Anduin,” she gave him a concerned look, “passing out this early? Are you sure you aren’t ill or-”

“I’m fine.” Anduin curtly interrupted her.

Jaina drew back; the harsh reaction was utterly foreign from the ordinarily sweet and sensitive kid.

Her shocked expression must have shown because Anduin’s shoulders immediately sank at her reaction, and a mix of guilt and frustration melted across his face.

Raising an eyebrow, she crossed her arms, staring back at him, trying to decipher what was the cause of all this. Anduin quickly broke contact, staring down at his desk, a light flush across his cheeks.

“What is going on?”

His quill was already resuming its scratching across the page; he didn’t even lookup. “It’s complicated, Jaina, don’t worry about it.”

She grabbed the side chair and dragged it across the floor with a loud screech. She crossed her arms again and leaned back, waiting until Anduin glanced up.

When he finally did, the sunken look cut any bite out of her words, “Well, I’m here, I brought food, and I’m pretty fucking good at complicated. I’m a mage and a middle sibling, it’s the definition of complicated.” She finished, coaxing a smile out of Anduin.

With a prolonged hesitation, the young king spun his quill in his fingers.

“Give me the chance to be here this time, please.”

That caught Anduin’s attention, his gaze turning up to give her a confused look.

Jaina let out a sigh, forcing herself not to look away from the almost soul-piercing gaze. “We both know I ran last time things were hard. I was – no, things were a mess, and I thought the only way I could deal with it was alone. And I came back… only to run off back home. Guess I never really realized how much I missed when I was busy being self-absorbed.”

“No, no, you were not self-absorbed! You took time to heal, reflect, and rekindle the bonds with those you love. That is imperative for your health, don’t diminish that.”

Jaina felt a small smile pass over her lips. How could someone so cursed by fate still find it in him to be so genuinely sweet?

“Okay, perhaps you are right, and I am too harsh. But I let some relationships with those I love fall by the wayside too. I took them for granted.”

“Kalecgos?”

Jaina gave a soft smile, “I was talking about you.”

Immediately, Anduin’s face flushed, “No, that isn’t true. We are fine.”

“No, no we aren’t.”

Anduin’s slightly embarrassed face suddenly shifted to some mix of horror and heartbreak before Jaina waved her hand.

“No, wait. What I am saying is that you have been busy growing up, and I haven’t been here at all. I haven’t been here for you, and now, when it is clear something is wrong, you don’t feel as if you can tell me. So, I evidently let this slip, and I am sorry.”

His eyes grew a little glassy.

“Earnestly, it is fine. I-it is not a large deal.” He tried to counter, the tremble to his voice discrediting his words.

Before she lost the nerve, she quickly added, “And I am sorry about Winter’s Veil. I should have brought you to Kul’tiras or something. I completely forgot with all the fighting going on and…” she trailed off, not wanting to make any more excuses.

Anduin shifted slightly, recoiling his shoulders defensively. A flash of anguish was evident on his face before he turned his head down in a childish way to hide his face.

“It’s fine.” He mumbled again, his words almost indiscernible.

She felt a lurch in her chest. Jaina fought the urge to either run around the desk and hug him or just leave the conversation in general. Everything was too raw. All the hurt and loss she did her best to press down and move on from was bubbling to the surface, and she didn’t want to deal with it.

One glance at the bowed head in front of her, shoulder’s shaking ever so slightly and hands so tightly clasped his fingers were turning white, Jaina knew that she couldn’t walk away.

“Then I will take that as an acceptance or at least acknowledgment of my apology,” she continued, acting as if his voice didn’t betray him, “because I want to be here now. Whatever it is that is causing you to be so stressed, let me share in some of that burden.”

A sob escaped from the kid’s mouth, which he quickly threw up a hand to cover.

“Light, was it Tandred?” Jaina asked exasperatedly, “Because I ripped him a new one for being rude at the docks and his comment about Stormwind. He meant well, really, he is just a bloody idiot.”

The sob turned into a wet chuckle, before the young king replied, “I don’t think he liked me very much.” She could tell he was trying to be humorous and light, but it just came across self- deprecating.

She reached out and grabbed his free hand, “No, I think he does. Or he will! He just doesn’t know you yet. It takes people time to understand each other, especially when they come from such different worlds. You know that. Of everyone, you know that.” She added imploringly. Anduin had overcome the barriers between his and Varian even though it took years. He had befriended the leader of the Tauren and orchestrated peace talks with Thrall and Garrosh. He wasn’t one to be put off by a few harsh words.

“I should. I should know that yeah. But everything … Light of my Forefathers, everything is a mess. I can’t tell...” He finally looked up at her, his eyes pleading.

It was Jaina’s turn to furrow her brow in confusion, “What do you mean? You can’t tell what?”

“The difference between what is a trick and what is real.”

Jaina felt a shiver run down her neck. “What do you mean?” She asked, wary of the answer.

Anduin pulled his hand from her just to bury his face in them. “The visions of N’zoth.

The trickery of an Old God on the mind of those he can corrupt. Those who are weaker of will are more easily corrupted, right? It brings nightmares, full of betrayal and confusion, to the point where you wake up, and you can’t tell if you are standing next to a friend or foe.” He paused to let out a frustrated sigh and pulled at his hair, his face drawn in a tense line. “It would be one thing if I could just dismiss those concerns, confident that it is just trickery. But do you know how many times Stormwind has been betrayed? How many of my fath- or my allies have betrayed us? Or how many time trickery has slipped inside these walls and incited assassinations? I am on my own, and I don’t have a single clue about how to tell who I can trust because I am too weak to resist even the slightest corruption.”

He pushed back his chair and spun, throwing the side of his fist and arm against the wall in anger, only to have it drain entirely out of him the next moment as he slumped his head against the fist.

Following the young king across the room, she reached forward to place a hand on his shoulder. He jerked back, and understanding began to dawn on Jaina. She was probably on the list of people who he saw betraying him… and she had been volatile enough over the past few years that it wasn’t so implausible a theory.

She pressed down that guilt, knowing it was something for another time. The past was a plethora of mistakes she wished she could change, but now? Now she could change the outcome of. What was wrong was quickly unveiling, and Jaina understood. The exhaustion, anger, loneliness, it all made sense. She had been there. If she had been around, she might have seen it sooner, but damn it if she wasn’t going to help this time.

“I’m really sorry… I should have noticed.”

Anduin didn’t turn around, his shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

“I didn’t realize how bad it was.” She tried again, softer.

“Failed to notice how weak the king is? Well, you’d be the first.”

“No, ‘cause you are wrong about that, but that is a discussion for later. That’s not what I am saying. I’m saying you are wrong about corruption. Weakness isn’t what makes people susceptible to corruption.”

Anduin shook his head, “Jaina, you trained mages, everyone knows that those of weak will-”

“Were often the ones seduced by power and desire. Please, name one time you have ever done something for your own self-gain? Is that what this looks like to you?” Jaina threw her arms out, waving around the dark chambers as Anduin slowly turned to face her.

“Those are the students we so often speak of because it is easier to ward off and fight greed than the other possibility.”

“Sometimes there is a difference of corruption that student befalls: students that get possessed, isolate themselves, constantly drain their mana, or become paranoid that they can’t trust anyone. You know what they almost all had in common?”

Anduin watched her, his soulful blue eyes carefully watching each of her movements as she reached forward and clasped his shoulders gently. 

“They were lost, grieving, and  _ drowning _ in their own depression.”

The dam broke, Anduin’s lip quivering before he fell into her embrace. She wrapped him in the tightest hug she ever recalled giving him. Letting him cry into her shoulder, she finally understood how taxing this war had to be on his own. She should have seen it earlier. So busy trying to hold everything together and live up to his father as king, he let himself fall to the wayside.

“Varian was my best friend, and so are you now, okay? And that isn’t conditional on if you are like him. Because I personally love Anduin Wrynn just as much. I’m sorry I should have seen this sooner. Just…I’m going to prove to you that you really aren’t alone. You still have family, okay?”

A silent nod into her shoulder brought a small smile to her face. As she held him, her eyes found the window, black with night.

They could fight this corrupting Old God. At that moment, Jaina couldn’t be surer that they would win. Because they had to. For each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you all think! Y'all are the best!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think, it makes all this writing worth it!! I love hearing your opinion on these characters too!


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